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Senate expected to nix transportation plan

ATLANTA - A compromise plan on transportation funding in Georgia is expected to receive a thumbs down from the state Senate.

Jeff Mullis, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said his chamber would vote to disagree with the new House-sponsored plan when it comes up on Thursday.

The Senate and the House are pushing competing plans that would allow voters to approve a one-cent sales tax hike to fund infrastructure projects. The Senate is pushing a regional approach while the House favors a statewide solution.

The new version tries to merge thee two ideas - allowing counties to band together to levy a one-percent sales tax if a 2010 constitutional amendment for a statewide transportation sales tax hike fails.